Spring-hinge.



PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904.

J. BARDSLEY;

SPRING HINGE.- APPLICATION rum: 0015, 190a.

H0 MODEL.

WITNESSES:

I HHHIIHHIIHI Patented August 2, 1904.

iJNTTen STATes PATENT @FFTCE.

JOSEPH BARDSLEY, OF MONTCLAIR. NE\V JERSEY.

SPRING-HINGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,411, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed October 5, 1903.

Serial No. 175,803. (No model.)

117ml it l/ (WNW/WM tion imparted to it, and at its lower end said Beitknown thatI, JOSEPILBARDSLIGY. a citispindle is formed with a socket to pass upon zen of the United States, and a resident of a vertical lmaring-sttul 25. formed upon the Montclair, in the county of Essex and State floor of the casing 20, while at its upper porof New Jersey, have invented certain new and tion the said spindle is journaled in a bearing 55 useful Improvements in Spring-Hinges. of or sleeve 26. formed in the cap 21. which the following is a specification. The spindle is a plain shaft, and the only The invention relates to improvements in elements of the structure positively united spring-hinges: and it consists in the novel feawith this shaft are the upper and lower actutures, combinations,and arrangementso'f parts ating-arms 27 and 28 and vertical wings 29 6o hereinafter described,and particularly pointed and 3d, projecting outwardly from the oppoout in the claims. i site sides of the spindle, the wing 30 for conlpresent my invention in this application venience and purposes of durability being as embodied in a spring-hinge to be applied integral with and connecting the said arms 5 below the door and containing a spring spin- 2? 2b. dle or pivot to be engaged by a shoe carried The spindle 22 is disposed centrally within at the lower edge of the door, and the said inthe coiled spring 31, which is snugly inclosed vention ill be fully understood from the deby the cylindrical side walls of the casingZO, tailed description hereinafter presented, refand upon the upper end of the spring 31 is 20 erence being had to the accompanying drawapplied the top plate 32, while upon the ings. in whichlower end of said spring is applied the bot Figure l is a central vertical section on'the tom plate 33, the upper end of said spring dotted line 1 1 of Fig. 2, partly broken away, having a hook portion 3* to engage the shoulof a spring-hinge embodying my invention. dcr 35, formed on the said top plate 32, and

5 Fig. 2 is a top view of the spring-hinge with i the lower end of said spring having a hook the cover-plate of same removed. Fig. 3 is portion 36 to engage a shoulder 37. formed a sectional view of same on the dotted line 3 on said lower plate The upper plate 32 3 of Fig. l, the inclosing casing of the hinge formed with a vertical flange 38, which enbcing represented by full lines. Fig. -l is a ters the upper coil of the spring 31, and with 3 detached perspective view of the actuatinga horizontal flange 39, which rests upon a 0 spindle. Fig. eisadetached perspective view portion of said upper coil, and the similar of a plate for the upper end of the spring and but inverted lower plate is provided with to cooperate with the arm at the upper porthe vertical flange it), which enters the lower tion of the actuating-spindle. Fig. (i is a decoil of the spring 31 and with the horizontal 35 tached perspective view of a plate to be apflaugeel, which is in contact with a portion of 5 plied to the lower end of the spring and to cothe lowerhorizontaledges of said coil. The upoperate with the arm at the lower end of the per plate 32 is formed with a central hub or actuating-spindle; and T is a detached sleeve T2 to snugly pass upon the upper porperspective viewof the coverdate for the castion of the spindle L2, and the lower plate 33 4 ing of the hinge, this figure illustrating more is provided with a central hub or sleeve 43 9 particularly the lower surface of said plate. to snugly receive the lower end of the spin- In the drawings, 20 designates the casing dle The lower plate 33 is formed with a for the spring-hinge, 21 the top plate thereof, series of recesses H, whose walls afford a seand 22 the actuating-spindle, which is formed ries of shoulders 37, and these recesses are 45 with a polygonal upper end 23 to enter a corprovided for facilitating the adjustment of respondingly-shaped aperture formed in the the tension of the spring 31, it being obvious shoe or bar 2%, of usual form and constructhat in the initial assembling of the parts of tion, to be seated within the lower edge of a v the hinge the lower hook end of the spring door. l may be inserted into any one of the recesses 5 The spindle 22 when in use has a rotary mol at. 1 do not limit my invention to the emment with only one of the shoulders 37.

ployment of any special number of the recesses 44, since when the hinge is in actual use the lower end of the spring is in engage- It is preferable, however, to provide several of the recesses 44, owing to the initial irregularity in coiled springs as at present manufactured. I

The application of the upper and lower plates 32 33 to the coiled spring 31 is to enable said spring to be wound fromeither its upper or lower end in accordance with the direction of motion imparted to the actuating-spindle 22 during the opening of the door, the said springbeing wound and placed under tension from one end when the door is opened in one direction and from its other end when the door is opened in an opposite direction, and the said plates 32 33 receive their motion from the arms 27 28, provided on the actuating-spindle 22. hen the upper plate 32 isin motion, the lower plate 33 remains stationary, and when the lower plate 33 is in motion the upper plate 32 remains at rest. The spring 31 is always under tension, and normally the upper plate 32 is maintained at rest by the engagement of its shoulder 45, Figs. 1 and 5, with a stop 46, projecting downwardly from-the cover-plate 21, while normally the lower plate 33 is maintained at rest by the contact of its shoulder 47 with a stop-lug 48, projecting upwardly from the fioor of the casing 20. The stop 46 holds the top plate. 32 at rest when the lower plate 33 is in motion during the opening of the door in one direction, and the stop 48 holds the lower plate 33 at rest when the upper plate 32 is in motion during the opening of the door in an opposite direction.

In order that the plates 32 33 may be actuated from the spindle 22, I provide the upper plate 32 with the shoulder 49 and the lower plate 33 with the shoulder 50, these shoulders 49 50 being in position to be engaged by the laterally-projecting arms 27 28, carried by the spindle 22. When the parts of the hinge are assembled, the flat vertical edge 51 engages the fiat vertical surface of the shoulder 49 of the top plate 32, and the fiat vertical edge 52 of the arm 28 engages the flat vertical edge of the shoulder 50, the shoulder 49 pressing against the arm 27 at one side thereof and the shoulder 50 pressing against the arm 28 at the opposite side thereof.

In the normal at-rest condition of the several parts of the hinge the spring 31 is under tension, the upper plate 32 is held stationary by the engagement of its shoulder 45 with the stop 46, the lower plate 33 is held stationary by the engagement of its shoulder 47 with the stop 48, the upper arm 27 of the spindle is in engagement with the shoulder 49 of the top plate 32, and the lower arm 28 is in engagement with the shoulder 50 of the bottom plate 33, and when the parts are in this condition the door (not shown) will be in its closed position.

Upon the opening of the door toward the left the actuating-spindle 22 will be turned in the direction of the arrow shown thereon in Fig. 2, and this turning of the spindle will cause its arm 27, acting against the shoulder 49, to turn the top plate 32 in a corresponding direction, with the result that the shoulder 35 of said top plate acting against the hook portion 34 of the spring 31 will wind said spring from its upper end and place the same under an increased tension suflicient to insure the proper closing of the door when the latter is released. During the opening of the door to the left and the setting in motion of the top plate 32 for winding the spring 31 from its upper end the lower arm 28, carried by the spindle 22, will recede from the shoulder 50 of the bottom plate 33, the latter under the tension of the spring 31 remaining at rest and in firm engagement with the lower stop 48. Upon the closing of the door after it has been opened to the left the upper plate 32 will return to its normal at-rest position' in contact with the upper stop 46. The closing of the door after it has been opened to the left is effected by the spring 31 during the return of the upper plate 32 to the stop 46, said plate during its return movement acting against the spindle-arm 27 to reverse the motion of the spindle 22 and cause the latter to return the door to its closed position.

During the opening of the door toward the right the spindle 22 will be turned in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3 and will through its arm 28 and the shoulder 50 turn the lower plate 33 in a corresponding direction, thereby causing said plate 33 to act against the hook portion 36 of the spring 31 and wind said spring from its lower end, the spring 31 being thus placed under a tension sufiicient to insure the proper closing of the door. During the opening of the door toward the right the upper plate 32 is held at rest by its engagement with the stop 46, while at the same time the lower plate 33 recedes from its stop 48, said lower plate being positively moved by the engagement of the spindle-arm 28 with the shoulder 50 of said plate. released to close after having been opened to the right, the plate 33 will under the tension of the spring 31 be returned to its normal position against the stop 48, and during such movement the shoulder 50 will act against the spindle-arm 28 and eifect a reverse rotation of the spindle 22, which will communicate its motion to the door and close the same.

It is my purpose to substantially fill the easing 20 with oil or other suitable liquid and to provide the spindle 22 with the radial wings 29 30 to cooperate with the liquid in checking the usual vibratory motion of a doubleacting door when allowed to swing to its closed position, the door when at such posil/Vhen the door isv IIO tion in the absence of the employment of a checking medium usually having considerable vibration before coming to a positive rest. In accordance with my invention this vibratory motion of the door will become checked fact that the door in its movement will cause the spindle 22 to carry the wings Q5) against the body of the liquid contained within the normal condition. and substantially prevented by reason of the casing 20. the resistance offered by the liquid to the wings 29 30 aiding in bringing the door to a rest.

In assembling the parts of the hinge the lower plate 32 may first be placed upon the lower end of the spindle 22 and the latter introduced within the casing 20 and then the spring 31 may be introduced within said casing and have its lower end 36 placed in engagement with one of the shoulders 37 of the lower plate 33, the spring then being not under tension and normally projecting slightly above the upper horizontal flange 60, projecting laterally from the cylindrical walls of the casing 20. The top plate is then placed upon the upper end of the spring 31 and spindle 22,

with its shoulder against the hook portion 31 of said spring, and thereupon the cover plate 21 will be introduced over the upper end of the spindle 22, with its stop 16 in contact with the shoulder so of said plate 32. after which the said cover-plate 21 will be turned upon the upper end of the spindle 22 and over the casing 20, so that its said stop 46 may wind the spring 31 from its upper end until 1 said spring has been given a proper normal tension and until said plate 21 reaches its proper position over the flange 60 of the casing 20, upon arriving at which position (the spring 31 being then under tension) the plate 21 will be pressed downwardly upon the said flange 60, the encompassing flange 61 on said cover plate then passing downwardly upon the vertical edges of the flange 60 to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby locking said plate 21 against rotation and preserving the tension in the spring 31. hen the coverplate 31 is pressed downwardly to compress the spring 31 fully into the casing 20, the downward movement of the top plate 32 will resultin the shoulder 49 thereof being brought into proper relation to the flat edge 51 of the upper arm 27, said edge of said arm 27 then being in line with that edge of the stop &6

which is in engagement with the shoulder of the top plate 32, this being a very essential consideration, because by reason thereof the top plate 21 may then, if desired, be removed, leaving the spring 31 under tension and the top and bottom plates 32 33 firmly held against the arms 27 28 by reason of such tension, it being entirely convenient under such condition to lift all of the interior parts from the casing 20 by merely drawing upwardly upon the upper end of the spindle 252. Thus if after the hinge has been put into use a person should desire for any reason to remove the top plate 21 from the casing 20 the interior parts of the hinge will not thereby become disarranged, but will remain in their After the cover-plate 21 has been pressed downwardly upon the flange of the casing 20 it will be there secured by screws or bolts passing through theapertures made in said cover-plate and said flange for their reception, and thereupon the hinge will be in condition to be placed into use. In assembling the parts of the hinge I thus make use of the cover-plate 21 as a key for winding up the spring 31, the parts of the hinge and the const-ructitm of said plate conveniently permitting of the placing of the spring under its proper condition with entire con vcnience. Prior to the winding of the spring 31 from the cover-plate 21 the said spring will normally project slightly above its inclosing casing, so that during the winding of said spring the flange 61 of said plate 21 may move against and over the upper surface of the flange 60 of the casing 20, and then when the plate 21 is pressed downwardly so that its 1 flange 61 may engage and lock upon the edges of the casing-flange 60 the spring 31 will be thereby slightly compressed and by its tension tending to rotate the plate 21 will lock said plate upon the casing 20 and enable the con venicnt application of the screws by which the plate 21 is finally secured to the casing 20 and the entire hinge left in condition for immediate use.

In assembling the parts of the hinge the attendant will insert the lower hook end of the spring into the special recess 41 of the bottom plate 33 required for attaining the requisite tension in the spring, said hook portion 36 being inserted in a recess a4 farther from the shoulder 54) when an increased tension is required, due to the physical condition of the spring.

The oil or other liquid may be introduced into the casing 20 through an opening in the cover-plate thereof in a well-known manner, said opening to be kept closed when the hinge is in use by means of a screw-plug 62 of usual construction.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a door-closer, the actuating-spindle to be operated from the door, the casing within which said spindle is mounted, the coiled closing-spring for cooperation with said spindle, and the cover-plate for said casing and con taining an opening to pass upon said spindle, said cover-plate having a projection 46, combined with a plate mounted upon the end of said spring and engaging the latter, a stop for the lower end of said spring, and an arm eX- tcnding from said spindle for engaging said plate for winding said spring during the open ing of the door, said spring in its initial con dition extending slightly above said casing,

IIO

and its plate having a shoulder to be engaged by said projection 46 for winding said spring and placing the same under an initial tension by the rotation of said cover-plate; substantially as set forth.

2. In a door-closer, the actuating-spindle to be operated from the door, the casing within which said spindle is mounted, the coiled closing-spring for cooperation with said spindle, and the cover-plate for said casing and containing an opening to pass upon said spindle, said cover-plate having a projection 4:6, and the flange 61 to lock upon said casing, combined with a plate mounted upon the end of said spring and engaging the latter, a stop for the lower end of said spring, and an arm extending from said spindle for engaging said plate for winding said spring during the opening of the door, said spring in its initial condition extending slightly above said casing, and its plate having a shoulder to be engaged by said projection 46 for winding said spring and placing the same under an initial tension by the rotation of said cover-plate; substan- 1 tially as set forth.

3. In a door-closer, the inclosing casing, and the coiled closing-spring therein, said spring in its initial condition being adapted to extend slightly above said casing, combined with a stop for engaging the lower end of saidspring and holding said end against turning in one direction, and the cover-plate for said casing,

said plate having a projection to engage said spring at its upper end, and, upon the rotation of said plate, place said spring under its initial operative tension; substantially as set forth.

4. In a door-closer and check, the actuatingi spindle to be operated from the door, the casi ing within which said spindle is mounted and 4 which is adapted to contain a checking liquid, and the coiled closing-spring for cooperation with said spindle, said spindle being centrally disposed within said spring and having a radial wing to move through the liquid contained in said casing during the rotation of said spindle, combined with means operatively connecting said spring with said spindle; substantially as set forth.

5. In a door-closer, the actuating-spindle to 5 0 be operated from the door, the casing within which said spindle is mounted, and the coiled closing-spring for cooperation with said spindle, combined with a plate 32 mounted upon and connected with the upper end of said spring, the plate 33 mounted upon and connected with the lower end of said spring, a stop for holding the said plate 32 in its normal at-rest position, and a stop for holding said plate 33 in its normal at-rest position, said spindle having an arm 27 to engage said plate 32 for Winding said. spring therefrom during the opening of the door in one direction, and also an arm 28 for engaging said plate 33 for winding said spring therefrom -5 when the door is opened in an opposite direction, and one of said plates having the series of shoulders 37 for enabling the proper adjustment of said spring; substantially as set forth.

Signed at New York, in. the county of New York and State of New York, this 2d day of October, A. D. 1903.

JOSEPH BARDSLEY.

Witnesses:

CHAs. C. GILL, ARTHUR MARION. 

